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Agon - Stravinsky
Agon - Stravinsky
It was
choreographed by George Balanchine. Stravinsky began composition in December 1953
but was interrupted the next year; he resumed work in 1956 and concluded on April 27,
1957. The music was premiered in Los Angeles at UCLA's Royce Hall on June 17, 1957,
conducted by Robert Craft. Stravinsky himself conducted the sessions for the work's first
recording the following day on June 18, 1957.[1] Agon was first performed on stage by
the New York City Ballet at the City Center of Music and Drama on December 1, 1957.[2]
The title of the ballet, Agon, is a Greek word which means “contest”, “protagonist” but also
“anguish” or “struggle”.